Casting conundrum..........

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you may be aware that I've been bleating on about having to do a batch of casting for some considerable time.

A considerable time = since September.

I know this because we put the house on the market at the end of September and I haven't done any casting since then because it makes such a mess of the workroom for weeks on end and I just couldn't face the disruption of a major clean up in advance of viewings.

However I now have a window of around 2 weeks, during which it is extremely unlikely that even the most avid house-hunter will want to drag themselves away from the festivities in order to view properties, so I can be as messy in the workroom as I want.

Which is just as well, as it is currently a complete guddle.

So, yesterday, I girded my loins, set my jaw, squared my shoulders and went through the rigmarole of setting everything up for an extended casting session.

There are times when I positively welcome the relative tedium of the mechanical process of casting.  If I'm in the right frame of mind it can have a soothing, calming effect as small amounts of liquid porcelain slip are magically transformed into the tiny bodies, heads, arms and legs of toy dolls, or animals or whatever.

However, yesterday I just wasn't in the right frame of mind.  It was cold and dark in the workroom, despite my having every light on, including my daylight and SAD lamps.  The sensation of feeling chilled was due to working with the porcelain slip, which even on a warm day feels cold to the touch.  Also, my hands are constantly in and out of water which doesn't help.

No matter.

I've started ergo I must finish.  If I do a few small batches each day, then by Friday I will have enough (hopefully) to fill the kiln.

So, as the sun is currently shining, and the workroom looks moderately inviting, I'm off to start batch no. 1 for today.

I'm hoping for a warm, fuzzy glow of satisfaction when I'm done......